If you’ve ever watched the show “Holmes on Homes” on HGTV, you’ve likely seen the problems associated with old or faulty wiring.  Mike Holmes tends to get very agitated by safety issues, and for good reason.  Each year, over 40,000 homes suffer fire damage due to home electrical problems.  These electrical fires account for hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries.  And what’s the main culprit?  Old wiring!

If you live in a classic home built before 1940, chances are you have old wiring in the house.  You may have knob-and-tube or Romex wiring, both of which can become brittle over time.  The insulation dries out and starts to crumble, causing the inner wire to become exposed. The cloth insulation around the wire deteriorates with age and eventually becomes unsafe.

But perhaps one of the biggest threats of Romex and knob-and-tube wiring is that these types of wires aren’t grounded.  That means if one of your appliances shorts out, you could become the path to the ground for the electricity.

Even if your home is only 20 or 30 years old, you could still experience electrical problems at home due to a lack of capacity.  Most homes built more than 10 years ago are not designed to handle the amount of electronics we use today.  Think about it:  if your house was built in 1980, it was built before home PCs and laptops and HDTVs and surround sound and all of the other toys and gadgets we use today.  These appliances can draw a lot of power, and your current electrical wiring may not be up to the task.

If you own one of the one million houses in the DFW area that’s more than 20 years old, it’s a good idea to have a licensed electrician come out and take a look at the wiring.  He or she can make sure that your house will be safe and productive for many years.

Electrical pre-construction services are a portion of the pre-construction services that are undertaken when a house is to be built. Pre-construction is considered a part of construction management in which specific elements of a project are planned out and coordinated between different contractors. The end goal of pre-construction is to create, implement and complete a project that will best satisfy the needs of the owner.

So why do contractors undertake pre-construction during the process of building a home? There are really two reasons, both of which have to do with ensuring a safe, orderly build that meets the owner’s expectations.

If you have ever watched a cartoon or old TV comedy where the characters are attempting – and failing – to build a house or skyscraper, then you know how important pre-construction planning is to a building project. Pre-construction ensures all contractors are on the same page with regards to the project itself. This permits the project to be completed in a much smoother fashion. It also ensures the safety of all workers involved with the project.

For example, electricians doing risky high-voltage work on the house’s wiring systems can warn other workers to keep their distance. This helps prevent electric shock or fire due to contact with potentially live wires. They can also avoid using certain tools to minimize the risk of damaging the electrical system.

Pre-construction work also ensures the owner’s wishes will be followed as closely as possible. Have you ever seen a home remodeling program on TV where the owners are trying to fix a botched remodel? Much of that hassle can be prevented with better communication. This way the owner’s specifications are met. If there are issues meeting the owner’s needs with the current plans, then their input needs to be sought. This way new plans can be developed to meet their needs.

Electrical pre-construction services are very similar to the pre-construction services provided by other contractors. The process works to save the owner money now and in the long run. These steps may vary depending on the contractor, but usually include the following:

If you have ever attempted to do your own electrical work at home, you know the value of a good electrician. The same goes when you’re having a home built or remodeled. Good electrical pre-construction allows you to save both time and money. A solid pre-construction plan will give you the electrical layout you require. That’s especially important if you plan to utilize solar or other alternative energy sources. It will also help you evaluate your choices and choose equipment that will be the most cost-effective over the years.

Planning on an exciting and colorful lighting display this holiday season? Whether you have grandiose plans of intricate illumination design, or you just want to wire up your tree, hanging lights can present a few hazards to the unprepared. Electrical safety may take a backseat for some, but to the experts at Kolb Electric, nothing could be more important! Protect yourself and your home with these light hanging tips.

As you may expect, much of electrical safety has to do with the product being used. Keep these tips in mind when selecting your lighting choices this year:

If you plan on hanging wiring above eye-level, odds are you’ll be using a ladder. Remember these tips when hanging your lights:

Have any questions or concerns regarding your holiday lighting this year? Contact us today at Kolb Electric! We provide industry-leading solutions for all of your electrical needs, and bring only the very best in service and skill to our consumers!